ARCH invests primarily in companies co-founded by scientists and entrepreneurs, concentrating on bringing to market innovations in life sciences. They enjoy special recognition as a leader in the successful commercialization of technologies developed at academic research institutions and national laboratories. ARCH has raised ten venture funds totaling over $3 billion and has invested in the venture capital rounds for more than 150 companies. ARCH investors include corporations, pension funds, endowment funds, financial institutions, and private investors.

ARCH Venture Partners

Takeda Ventures, Inc. (TVI) is the corporate investment arm of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TPC). TVI was founded in 2001 and invests in current and future areas of interest for TPC. They are based alongside Takeda’s R&D sites in Cambridge, MA, and San Diego, CA.  As a strategic investor, TVI aims to provide support and guidance to entrepreneurs and early-stage companies driving concepts through clinical proof of concept. They also strive to forge active, collaborative interactions that result in synergies with Takeda's considerable R&D resources. Their goal is to build a portfolio of strategic investments, with an immediate emphasis on oncology, gastroenterology, neuroscience, and rare diseases.

Takeda Ventures

8VC enables industry transformation. In a wave of creative destruction, they believe emerging platforms will replace the decades-old technology infrastructure behind many industries, promoting greater innovation and prosperity.

Taiho Ventures is a company that specializes in the research and development of pharmaceuticals.

Taiho Ventures

Panacea Venture is a healthcare-focused venture capital firm that focuses on investing and incubating in early-stage life science.  It manages three USD funds and one RMB fund.

Panacea Venture

hC Bioscience

HC Bioscience is an innovator and pioneer of protein editing using context agnostic engineered tRNA. Their First in Class approach for protein editing advances beyond genome editing to direct modification of the proteome.

hC Bioscience is a biopharmaceutical company developing first-in-class tRNA-based therapeutics to address protein dysfunction in genetic diseases and cancer. The company's innovative approach uses engineered transfer RNAs (tRNAs) to edit proteins without altering genes, focusing on overwriting nonsense mutations that cause premature termination codons (PTCs). hC Bioscience is advancing two complementary platforms: PTCX ("Patch"), which restores protein function by suppressing PTCs, and SWTX ("Switch"), which targets diseases caused by missense mutations. This gene-agnostic technology has the potential to treat 10-15% of all human diseases caused by genetic errors.

2 UI start-ups secure $62M in funding to advance therapies

hC Bioscience Announces $24 Million Series A Financing to Develop Innovative Pipeline of Protein-Editing Therapies

hC Bioscience Announces Lead Program in Hemophilia and Reports Positive Preclinical Data on Novel Protein Editing Approach Using Anticodon Engineered tRNA

HC Bioscience

hC Bioscience and 4SR Biosciences Join Forces to Expand Platform Development of tRNA-Based Therapies

hC Bioscience Presents Preclinical Data at ASGCT Showing Strong Potential in Hemophilia A Using tRNA-based Protein Editing Platform

hC Bioscience Will Target Hemophilia A with Modified tRNA Therapy

RNA Therapeutics

HC Bioscience Appoints Simon Tsang, Ph.D. as Chief Business Officer to Lead Business Development

hC Bioscience is a biopharmaceutical company developing first-in-class tRNA-based therapeutics to address protein dysfunction in genetic diseases and cancer. The company's innovative approach uses engineered transfer RNAs (tRNAs) to edit proteins without altering genes, focusing on overwriting nonsense mutations that cause premature termination codons (PTCs). hC Bioscience is advancing two complementary platforms: PTCX ("Patch"), which restores protein function by suppressing PTCs, and SWTX ("Switch"), which targets diseases caused by missense mutations. This gene-agnostic technology has the potential to treat 10-15% of all human diseases caused by genetic errors.
The company's lead candidate, HCB-101, is an anticodon engineered tRNA designed to treat severe hemophilia A. Delivered via lipid nanoparticles to target the liver, HCB-101 aims to restore production of full-length, functional Factor VIII protein in approximately 20% of severe hemophilia A cases caused by PTCs. preclinical data presented in April 2024 demonstrated successful liver targeting in mice and in vitro production of full-length Factor VIII despite the presence of PTCs. hC Bioscience plans to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial for severe hemophilia A in 2025, with IND-enabling studies underway.

<div>
 
 PYC Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing RNA therapies for genetic diseases. The company utilizes a proprietary drug delivery platform based on Cell-Penetrating Peptides (CPPs) to enhance the potency of precision medicines within the RNA therapeutic class. PYC's technology aims to overcome the delivery challenges associated with traditional RNA therapeutics, allowing for more effective treatment of genetic ailments.
 
 
 
 
 PYC's lead drug candidate, VP-001, is designed to treat Retinitis Pigmentosa type 11 (RP11), a blinding eye disease that begins in childhood. VP-001 targets the U4/U6 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (PRPF31) gene and is administered through intravitreal injection. In August 2023, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Fast Track designation to VP-001, potentially expediting its development and review process. In May 2024, PYC reported encouraging first clinical data for VP-001 in RP11 patients.
 
 
 
 
 The company's pipeline includes other preclinical programs for Inherited Retinal Diseases and Central Nervous System disorders. In May 2024, PYC received orphan drug designation from the FDA for PYC-001, a drug candidate targeting autosomal dominant optic atrophy (ADOA). PYC is also developing VP-002 and exploring multiple candidates for eye and CNS indications.
 
 
 
 
 In January 2024, PYC announced plans to collaborate with Google Cloud to develop new precision medicines. This project aims to utilize machine learning models, merging AlphaFold and its successors, to predict ideal peptide sequences and structures for delivering precision medicine cargoes to cells in the human body.
 
 
 
 
 For the half-year ended December 31, 2023, PYC reported revenue of AUD 9.12 million, up from AUD 3.49 million in the previous year. The company's net loss for the period was AUD 15.09 million. As of March 31, 2024, PYC had a pro-forma cash balance of approximately AUD 84 million, providing runway into the second half of 2025 for its ongoing clinical trials.
 
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PYC Therapeutics

Flamingo Therapeutics is a biotechnology company specializing in RNA-targeted therapies for oncology. Founded in 2019, the company focuses on developing treatments for difficult-to-treat cancers using state-of-the-art chemistries and a clinical-stage pipeline targeting undruggable transcription factors and splice variants. Flamingo's lead program is danvatirsen, an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) that selectively targets STAT3 and has shown clinical activity in two Phase II studies. Danvatirsen binds to STAT3 mRNA, inhibiting translation of the transcript, resulting in reduced tumor cell growth and activation of anti-tumor immunity. Flamingo initiated the PEMDA-HN Phase II trial evaluating danvatirsen in combination with pembrolizumab for patients with recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The company is also advancing FTX-001, its most advanced long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) program targeting MALAT-1, through readiness for Phase 1 trials in solid tumors. Flamingo's proprietary discovery engine, FLAME (Flamingo LncRNA Antisense Mining Engine), addresses lncRNAs, a large and untapped class of disease-causing targets within the "dark matter" of the human genome. In March 2023, Flamingo merged with Dynacure to create a leading RNA therapeutics company focused on clinical oncology, combining their pipelines and expertise.
Key customers and partnerships
Flamingo Therapeutics has established strategic alliances and partnerships to advance its RNA-targeted therapies. The company has an expanded alliance with Ionis Pharmaceuticals, a world leader in RNA-targeted antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapeutics. This partnership, announced in September 2021, combines three clinical-stage programs from Ionis with Flamingo's novel lncRNA discovery engine and preclinical lncRNA program. The alliance leverages Flamingo's expertise in oncology and long non-coding RNAs with Ionis' proficiency in RNA-targeted drug discovery and development. Additionally, Flamingo collaborates with academic partners at VIB, KU Leuven, Ghent University, and the University of Michigan, whose pioneering work in non-coding RNA genes in cancer contributed to the company's foundation. In June 2023, Flamingo received a EUR 1.7 million research grant from Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship (VLAIO) to advance its RNA-targeting oncology portfolio, further validating its approach in creating a pipeline of programs targeting undruggable transcription factors and non-coding RNA.

Flamingo Therapeutics

Korro Bio is a biotechnology company focused on developing RNA editing therapeutics for both rare and common diseases. Founded in 2018, the company is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Korro's proprietary platform, called OPERA (Oligonucleotide Promoted Editing of RNA), leverages the body's natural ADAR (adenosine deaminase acting on RNA) system to make precise edits to RNA transcripts. This approach allows for the correction of genetic mutations without permanently altering DNA, potentially offering a safer alternative to traditional gene editing techniques.
The company's lead program targets alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD), a genetic disorder affecting the lungs and liver. Korro's AATD candidate aims to repair inherited mutations and restore production of normal functional alpha-1 antitrypsin (A1AT) protein in the liver. preclinical studies have demonstrated an increase of normal A1AT protein to 85% of total protein in circulation. Korro plans to submit a regulatory filing to initiate clinical trials for this candidate in the second half of 2024.
Beyond AATD, Korro is developing RNA editing therapies for conditions such as Parkinson's disease, severe alcoholic hepatitis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), subsets of pain, and cardiometabolic diseases. The company's initial focus is on liver-targeted therapies, with plans to expand into central nervous system indications and other tissue types.
In July 2023, Korro Bio announced plans to go public through a reverse merger with Frequency Therapeutics. The combined company will operate under the Korro Bio name and trade on the Nasdaq stock exchange under the ticker symbol KRRO. This transaction, along with a concurrent USD 117 million financing, is expected to provide Korro with approximately USD 170 million in cash upon closing, which is anticipated to fund operations into 2026.

Korro Bio

Halo-Bio is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative therapies. The company has a licensing agreement with Tekmira Pharmaceuticals related to certain lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technologies.

Halo-Bio RNAi Therapeutics

Oncotelic Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing RNA therapeutics and small molecule drugs for cancer and infectious diseases. The company's lead drug candidate is OT-101, a first-in-class RNA therapeutic designed to target TGF-β2, a protein that suppresses immune cell response and contributes to tumor growth in cancer tissues. OT-101 has demonstrated notable single-agent activity in clinical trials for relapsed/refractory cancer patients, with overall survival increasing in a dose-dependent manner at levels of 140mg/m2 and higher.
Oncotelic is currently conducting a Phase 2 billion/Phase 3 clinical trial called STOP-PC to evaluate OT-101 in combination with mFOLFIRINOX compared to mFOLFIRINOX alone for patients with advanced and unresectable or metastatic pancreatic cancer. The company believes this trial could deliver a decisive win against pancreatic cancer based on previous data showing improved survival in patients with low TGF-β2 expression treated with irinotecan.
In addition to its oncology pipeline, Oncotelic has explored OT-101's potential against SARS-CoV-2, completing a Phase 2 trial for Covid-19 in November 2021 with positive top line data for safety and efficacy. The company has also acquired AL-101 for intranasal delivery of apomorphine, which it intends to develop for conditions including Parkinson's Disease, erectile dysfunction, and female sexual disorders.

Oncotelic

Companies developing treatments using molecules like antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) and phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers (PMOs). These molecules target specific genes to treat genetic diseases by either silencing or modifying gene expression.

Companies using RNA interference (RNAi) to target and silence specific genes involved in diseases for treating various conditions by blocking harmful gene activity.

Companies involved in altering RNA molecules to modify gene expression or correct genetic defects. This can include substitutions, insertions, or deletions of nucleotides, leading to alterations in the RNA sequence and the regulation of RNA molecules to control gene expression or cellular functions.

Companies focused on other RNA-based therapies using approaches such as tRNA, circRNA, lncRNA, and saRNA to develop treatments targeting specific RNA molecules to regulate gene expression.

RNA-based developments form a foundation for precision medicine.

RNA plays essential roles in gene expression, regulation, and protein synthesis, making it a fundamental focus in genomic research and understanding genetic mechanisms.

hC Bioscience

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